Life preserver



G. MATTSON LIFE PRESERVER April 19, 1932.

Filed March 2, 1931 Gusiaf' Mel/Z50 Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAF MATTSON, or PORTLAND, OREGON LIFE PRESERVER Application filed March 2, 1931.

My invention is primarily adapted for the use of swimmers and for use in aquatic sports. It having its greatest value for use by those who are engaged in the primary stages of learning to swim.

The device is comprised of an impervious member adapted for being worn and fitted to the body of the user and preferably beneath, or between the body of the wearer, and the bathing suit. The device being preferably made from impervious material, light in weight and compartmented, to give greater safety to the device and to cut down the weight. Each compartment having separate mouth pieces and valves for inflating and deflating purposes. 7

The device is comprised of half sections adapted to fit about the waist of the user and between the arms and the hips and for being laced, or otherwise secured, in place upon the body of the wearer.

The object'of my device is to provide a safe buoyant member to be worn by swimmers and to add zest and safety to the swimmer and to permit the wearer to swim with less effort and greatest safety. I

A still further object of my device is to pro- Vide a life preserver that may be easily placed upon the body of the user and which will permit the user to develop the desired amount of buoyancy to be furnished by the life preserver.

A further object of my device consists in providing a life preserver, through the use of which, the amateur swimmer may be provided with a safety device that will not interfere with his learning to swim, that will be comfortable while being worn, and through the use of which, the desired amount of buoyancy may be developed by the user, as, and when required.

Af'tlb'tf t' 't' ler 0 We 0 my mven lon Consls S .be woven integral with the bathlng suit itin providing a device that may be formed integral with a bathing suit.

A. still further object of my invention consists in providing a life preserver comprised of inner and outer walls, each of which may be made of rubber, or rubberized material with the inner wall being made heavier than the outer wall so that any compression that Serial No.- 519,424.

may occur, due to the inflating of the same, will be reflected in the outer, thinner material, to thereby prevent undue-compression being made upon the body of the wearer and to cause an apparent lesser diameter of the device itself.

I/Vith these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination 'of parts, theessential elements of which are set forth in the appended claim, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shownwith reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

r In the drawings;

Fig. l is a front view, partially in section, of one of my devices shown in use upon the body of a female wearer. I v

, Fig. 2 is a perspective,side view partially in section, of-the deviceshown removed'from the wearer.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, top, plan view, of the assembled device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional, side view of the assembled device, shown removed from thewearer.

Fig 5 is a fragmentary, sectional, end view of the device, the same being taken on line 55 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction indicated. I I

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown the device as being comprised of inner and outer skin members with the inner skin member 9 being made of heavier material, so that when the body of the device is inflated, the inflation will be reflected in the outer skin member to thereby, in a measure, relieve undue pressure being made to engage the body of the wearer.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a device that may self; when so formed integral with the bath- ;ing suitthelife preserver portion of the .bathing suit will be maintained in desired position when placed about the body of the wearer. V

My device is adapted for use of the amateur swimmer primarily, but may. be-used with comfort and facility by any one engaged in aquatic sports.

The device is comprised of a girdle member composed of two, or more sections adapted for being secured, or hinged together upon their meeting edges, the girdle being divided into compartments to insure safety and comfort to the wearer; means being provided for inflating and deflating each section independently of the other by the wearer while the same is in actual use upon the body of the wearer and while the wearer and the device are actually immersed, or partially immersed.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

I form my device primarily of an inner skin 1 and an outer skin 2, secured together at their meeting edges, as by a zipper, as illustrated at 3. I

I do not wish to be limited to any specific form of fastening for securing the girdle together, as any form of fastening may be used. If material of sufficient flexibility is used, the device may be placed upon the body of the wearer as an endless compartmented girdle member.

I preferably secure the inner and outer skins together at one, or more points as illustrated at 4 as by vulcanizing, or cementing. To comprise the girdle into compartments, this fastening to form compartments, is done as a precautionary measure and to insure buoyancy, suflicient to maintain the wearers body afloat. In the event of one of the compartments becoming punctured from any cause the added compartments continue to function.

Tubes 5 and 6 here shown as two in number communicate with each of the compartments of the girdle, with mouth pieces and valves 7 and 8 secured to their ends, in order that the wearer may inflate each compartment to the desired amount to create a buoyancy suflicient for the purpose and object of the wearer. Each of the mouth pieces is comprised of a mouth piece and a valve in order to maintain the exhaled air within the desired compartment at the pressure secured.

If he desires to inflate the girdle to insure complete buoyancy of the body of the wearer a larger pressure is disposed within the girdle to inflate the same to a larger extent than if a lesser buoyancy is required.

The inner and outer skin members are secured together at their peripheral edges at 9, ply vulcanizing, or by any other means.

y device may be worn without being cov ered, or protected but I recommond the use of the same as being worn between the body of the wearer and the bathing suit 10, and when soworn, its presence will not be apparent, unless the same is unduly inflated.

Where a relatively close fitting knitted bathing suit is to be worn as an outer covering for the life preserver as herein outlined,

to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein shown and described, as it 1s susceptlble of embodiment in various forms, all comlng withln the scope of the claim which follows.

What I claim is: A life preserving suit adapted to be worn about the waist over the wearer, independent air tight compartments between the arms and hips of the wearer, said compartments comprising primarily of inner and outer skin members of flexible material, the outer skin member being made of lighter material, and valve operated inflating tubes connected to each of the compartments.

GUSTAF MATTSON. 

